Paper message sheet



Dee.A 29, 1931. El. c. TUCKER ET AL 1,838,885-

PAPER MESSAGE SHEET Filed May 6. 19:50

' IN VEN TOR.

@I fg* BY FRAN/f ,l Rae/1f a/1m a M ATTORNEYS.

f/ .Em/mamma? Patented Dec.' 29, 1931 UNITED ISTATiff-"#3,

PATENTOFJFICE? ELMER o. TUCKER Ann` EEANK J. noci-1E, or nonYoKE, MASSACHUSETTS, AssreNoEs TO CROCKER-MQELWMT COMPANY, 0F MASSACHUSETTS 'i F HOLYOKE MASSACHUSETTS, .A CORPORATQION :PAPERv MESSAGE SHEET Appneanoainea ivnty'e, ieee.Y semi EoQ/rsoaee.

This invention relates to a message sheet of paper and the like adapted for` travel through a pneumatic chute k.andk has for its object the provision vcfa sheet'of such con'- struction as will'faciltate the action ofthe air in carrying the sheet through thefchute at a high rate of speed and Ywithout clogging. V 1

lt has been the practice heretofore,`particularly with telephonefcompanies, to employ a message sheet, for tollticket purposes, of rectangular form, one end` of which is foldedbacl` `upon itself in inclined position and tofsend said messagesheet from one department to yanother' byinsertingthe saine into the usual pneumatic conveying chiite whereby air suction'draws `said'sheet through the chute to its'destination.V The pneumatic l chutes forthis purposeare generally slot-like in cross section,-that is, they have an in'- terior passage'of relatively'narrow depth approximately 1/8VAA to l/p and of a 'width slightly greater-'than that of the y sheetfwhich is usually about 21g/2 t'vide.' Thesheet with its folded portion foremost is inserted-inthe chiite so that 'its bent-back portion springs into n inclined position Within the narrow chute and catches the air jffor 'its travel Y through the chute. Throughout their length the chutesare often' bentyor curved inea changing course toward their destination and one of the problems in connection lwith the free travelr of such message sheetshas been to prevent their clogging at the bends' of the chutes. Further difticiulltiesA 'have beenY encountered in the tendency ofthe sheets as heretofore used to 4stick againstv the lwallsfof the chute and causeclogging vcauseV for this sticking tendency inaybe`foundin'-tlie generationI of static.electricitygfrom tl'ie'jfrictional rub of thesheets against the wallslot the chute or from thecondensation of moisture upon the wallsfof the chutefroin the air therein. In anyevent, experience has shown Vthat the message sheets now used do v,not have the rapid and .certain travel through the chutes Ywhich i-s desired, and the aim of the present inventionis to ilnprovethis con! i dition.

' In general, the `object of present invenin ,which tion isto provide a sheet of such constructionv that it will have a greater tendency to` float through the chute upon theair stream and thus have a much reduced frictional drag on the walls ofthe chute so as torprein'V in position for travel in the direction of arrow a;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section ofsaid pneu- Y matic chute along line 2-f2of Fig. l,`showing a rear viewl of themessagesheet; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the messagesheet Fig; t is a transverse section through line L44 of Fig. 3 to show 'the-contour of the bottom of the sheet;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. of a modi- Y fied form of sheet; and Y Fig., 6 is a transverse section along line 6,-6 of Fig. 5 to show the contour of said modified form of sheet. i

v Referring nioreparticularly to the drawings, 1 indicates the message sheet which may be of paper or the like, preferably about the grade and stiii'ness of a ledger sheet of paper. A

It is preferably rectangular in form with a transverse v'width substantially the same but just'slightlyless than the vwidth of the pneumat-ic chute, the walls of which are indicatedV at 2. yThe interior passage through thefchnte 2 is slot-like in cross section, its depth being considerably shorter than itswidth and preferably sucient to allow a folded backportiene of the sheet tov spring upwardly in inclined position therein, as shown inA Fig. l. In'the forni we employ, the chute passage is slightly wider than-2% 'and about 1n in depth.

Near the forward end of the sheet l a transverse score 3 is made to facilitate. folding backwardly the front portion e of said sheet into inclined position, as shown. At each end of the transverse score 3 or fold of the sheet are cut out portions 5 and 6 with rounded sides, as shown. Vhen the sheet is folded along its score 3, the cut-out portions 5 and 6 constitute rounded corners for the'leading edge of the folded sheet to facilitate its non'- clogging travel around bends vin the chute. A further advantage of the cut out portions 5 and 6 is that they permit a balanced flow of air past each folded corner of the sheet when in the chute. It is believed that the flow of air thus allowed to pass around the lcorner portions ofthe sheet assists in keeping .the sheet in a position of equilibrium in floating through the chute under the QlCe of the ail" suction; and that the greater the stability of the sheet in its travel, the less tendency there will be for itto flutter and clog in the chute.

In additionto the foregoing nieans of assistingthe travel of the sheets through the chute, it hasl been found thatprovision of longitudinal scores such as shown at 7, 8 and'Q, ythe indentations of which extend downwardly as shown in Fig. l, greatly assist in the smooth travel of the sheet through the chute. These indentations or scores 7, 8 and 9 permit a fiow of air beneath the sheet and contribute to' ithe {ioating action described. They also -act as runners for the bottom of the sheet aga-inst the floor of the chute and thus lessen the generation of static electricity which would tend to Stick the sheet to the Chute. i

At thereai end of the sheet l another transverse score niark 10 formed by an upward indentation, is preferably provided so that the r'earmost portion l1 of said sheet will bend slightly downwardly as shown vin'Figfl and thus give a slight arching effect to the' rear end of the'sheet in its Contact with the bottoni of the chute. This arrangement further facilitates the passage of air beneath the sheet and reduces the frictional contact of the sheet against the bottom of the chtite for the p urf pose above mentioned. 'Ihe rear or trailing corners 12 and 13 ofthe Asheet are alsopreferably rounded as shown to lessen the tendency`of the same to catch against the walls of the chute, particularly iti-passing'around bends of the chute.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6,

the sheet la with its folded back portion la is made for a use identical with that described and the similar features thereof are' correspondingly marked. In this form, however, instead of providing the longitudinal inden-` tations, the sheet has been curled transversely to a slight extent, a formation which may be easily imparted to it in the course of its manufacture. Before assuming its curled position, sheet la may be the same width asV sheetl for use in the same chute. It will be understood that the longitudinal edges of sheet la should at all times be slightly spaced from the side walls of chute 2. This sheet la will be so folded for use that its convex side will be the under side against the door of the chute. Its tendency to curl upwardly ,at its longitudinal edges will present a relatively small contact surface for frictional drag on the floor of thc chute, and moreover there will be substan` tially the same freedom for the air .to pass underneath the sheet in producing the floating travel thereof as with the first sheet described.

It has been found that a sheet constructed with one or more ofthe various features above mentioned will travel much better through the pneumatic chute than the ordinary niesfsage sheet heretofore employed and that a -sheet combining all of tlie various features as herein described will travel through the tube with the utmost speed'and certainty.

What we claim is:

l. A message sheet of paper and the like for traveling through a pneumatic chute coinprising, a substantially rectangular sheet with 'a forward portion thereof turned back upon itself along a transverse fold and having a tendency to assume an upstanding position, and cut out notches at opposite ends of saidtr'ansverse fold.

Q. A message sheet of paper and the like for traveling through a pneumatic chute coniprising, a vsubstar'itiall'y rectangular sheet with a forward portion thereof turned back upon itself along a transverse fold and having a .tendency to assume an upstanding p0- sition, and cutout notches with rounded sides at opposite ends of said transverse fold to present rounded corners for the leading edge Of Said folded ,Sheet- IDSS-ge sheet of paper and the like for traveling through a pneumatic chute comprising, a substantially rectangular sheet with a forward portion thereof turned back upon itself along a transverse fold and having Ytendency to assume an upstanding position,vanld a plurality of downwardly indented scores in said sheet running lengthwise thereof from end to end of the Sheet.

4:. A message sheet of paper and the like for traveling through a pneumatic chute co1nprising,a substantially rectangular sheet with a forward portion thereof turned back upon itself along a transverse foldl and having a tendency to assume an upstandng p0- sition, and cut out notches at opposite ends of said transverse fold, and a 'plurality of downwardly indented scores in said sheet running lengthwise thereof.

5'. message sheet of paper and the like for traveling through a pneumatic chute comprising, a substantially rectangular sheet with a' forward portion thereof turned back upon itself along a vtransverse fold and having a tendency to assume an upstanding poico sition, and a transverse upwardly indented score nearthe rear edge of said sheet to provide a downwardly bent portion thereof, said downwardly bent portion having rounded corners. p

6. A message sheet of paper and the like for traveling through a pneumatic chute comprising, a substantially rectangular sheet with a forward portion thereof turned back upon itself along a. transverse fold and having a tendency to assume an upstanding position, and cut out notches at opposite ends of said transverse fold, and a transverse upwardly indented score near the rear edge of said sheet to provide a downwardly bent portion thereof, said downwardly bent portion having rounded corners.

7. A message sheet of paper and the like for traveling through a pneumatic chute com-v prising, a substantially rectangular sheet with a forward portion thereof turned back upon itself along a transverse fold and having a tendency to assume an upstanding p'osition, and cut out notches with rounded sides at opposite ends of said transverseV fold, to

present rounded corners for the leading edge of said folded sheet, a plurality of downwardly indented scores in said sheet running lengthwise thereof, and a transverse upwardly indented score near'the rear edge of said sheet to provide a downwardly bent portion thereof, said downwardly bent port-ion having rounded corners.

8. A message sheet of paper and the like for traveling through a pneumatic chute comprising, a substantially rectangular sheet with a downwardly depressed portion between its lateral edges to reduce its area of contact with the bottom of said chute, the forward portion of said sheet being turned back n upon itself along a transverse fold and having a tendency to assume an upstanding position, and cut out notchesat opposite ends of said transverse fold.

In testimony whereof We have affixed our signatures.

ELMER C. TUCKER. FRANK J. ROCHE. 

